Valve-gear for internal-combustion engines.



AEPEL.

VALVE GEAR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1912.

1 3@ Patented km: 3913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET L 6% 6% v mw f D. APPEL.

VALVE GEAR FOR INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APYLIUATIOH FILED MAY 31, 1912 1 @5? 39 v. Patented Apr. 1, 1913 4SHEETS-SKEET 2.

D. APPEL, VALVE GEAR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. Awmommu FILED MAY31, 1912.

Patented A1011 1, 1913.

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1U; MEL- 111. VALVE GEAR FOR INTEM SMJWEBUETIOKBI maxim. APPLTGATIOLFILED-HAYSL 1912.

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' connection with the I and in this case is substantially To all wit 0mit may concern -lnternul.-@ornbustion Engines, of which the 'ports byinlet end so. pie in ..con.s'tfruction and operation, silent in thindeiiuihs peth of movement during the cycle oit eng ne operation, theletter port of the exhaust stroke of the DANIEL .iLPEEL, 0? EAST QLEVELIAND, OHIO.

I VALVE-GEAR F01? INTERN Specification of 571,452, filed Serial No.

Be it known that l, DANIEL Arron, u citi zen of the United States,residing at East Cleveland, in the county of Cuyehogs and State of @hiohave invented a certain new and useful improvement in Valve-Gear forfollowing is o lull clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in valve gears or valve operatingInechanims adopted particularly for interns/l combustion engines, andhas for its chief objects the provisionof a valve gcu'r which results inhigher elficicncy, lower parts in the valve and valve operatingmechanism, and less weight per horse power than with. the valve gears inuse the present time.

Further, and more specifically, the invenoinis to .rovide a valve geurwhich moves positivey in. both directions, a valve controlling both theinlet and exhaustports,

and senses stud valve to function in menclosing or" the inlet andexhaust ports, and to secure large volumetric capacity of said soopt-muting the valve as to cause o. consideruhlc time period to elapsewith exhaust ports iEull open before the valve stsrts to close theports; which is sim station, inouneiisi-ve to construct and has 'llh theetsininent oi the shove objects, 1 rovide e Volvo gecr having anoperative valve or valve rod, the point or axis of which connection hasn cersuch that during piston, end the esrly port of thesuction stroke,the unis of connection between the valvegcar and adjacent. end of thevalve rod sweeps through u. path, the terrninalsof which are nearly inline with the path of linear or substantially linear movement traversedby the opposite end of the rod,

vertical (assuming that the engine is of the vertical type), giving thevalve o rapid stroke upword from one extreme position to the other, orfrom a. position with the exhaust port full open to it position with theintuke port. full AL-CQMBUSTXON ENGINES.

Letters more. Pntented Apr. 1, 1913,

July 11, 1910. This application filed. May 31, 1912.

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open for an appreciable period, the valve connection travcls'firstdownwardly and thence laterally during the period corresponding to thelatter part of the suction stroke andgreoter part of the compression theinlet port and brings the valve to its mid-position, or substantiallymid-position, with both ports closed, and the littoral movement whichvthence takes place, cnusingno. material valve movement. Thence the valveconnection again swings laterally in the rc-' verse direction, duringwhich travels through the greater working or firing stroke, whichlateral movement is converted to an approximately vertical movement,during the latter part of the working stroke, giving the valve :1further rs )id downward stroke to the position first referred to or toits lowermost position with the exhaust port full open. In carrying outmy invention, I employ :1 valve gear which gives to the said connectionbetween the gear and valve rod, a movement such that durin the completecycle of en gins operation, tc said connection describes anapproximately triangular figure, which is preferably a thgee-lobedhypocycloidal figure, having three curved sides, and having loops at thespices or corners of the figure.

The mechanism which I prefer to employ so as to import to the axis ofthe valve connection the above described movement, is in the term of uhypocycloidal gear, the parts of which are so proportioned andtheplunetary gear of which is driven at the proper speed relative to thecrank shaft, as to obtain the closed three-lobed hypocyclic path ofmovement, and the figure thus described occupying such a position withreference to the axis of the valve that the desired functioning of thevalve is obtained.

As my invention resides solely in the valve gear or valve operatingmechanism, the form and construction of those parts of the enimmaterial.to the invention, and while l prefer to employ' in connection with myimcylindcr, which valve is preferably of the reciprocating type andcontrols both the inlet and exhaust ports, the particular form of open.Thence after the into-he port is full valve is ulso immaterial. For thesake 01E stroke the downward movement giving the valve :1 rapid downwardstroke which closes gine, except the valve gear itself, is quite provedvalve gear or single vulve-for such equally well.

simplicity; Ihave illustrated my invention in'connection with a pistonvalve,although it is to be understood that any other form ofreciprocating valve could be employed The, invention is applicable alsoto an engine with any number of cylinders.

' In 'the drawings, I have shown my invention 1n one of its simplestforms, and applied .to a four cylinder four-cycle engine, largely thepositions of a piston and its associated the inlet and exhaust ases.

. inder is provided wit an inlet port 17, and an exhaust port 18,

- gear or valve operating mechanism,

valve, and the positions of' the various parts of the valve gear at thebeginning of the working stroke. Fig. 3 shows conventionally the twogears of the hypocycloidal valve and the path of movement described bythe axis of connection between the valve gear and valve during acomplete cycle of engine operation. Figs. 4: to 9 are diagrammatic viewsshowing the positions of the iston, valve and valve gear at differentpoints of the cycle of engine operation.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the engineisprovided with pistons 10 which operate in jacketed cylinders 11, andare connected by the usual connecting rods 12 to a power shaft 13,-thecranks of which are in Fig. 1, shown in substantially horizontalposition. The piston 1 (counting from the left) is at the middle of itsdown- Ward working stroke, the piston 2 is at the middle of itsupwardexhaust stroke, the pis.

ton 3 is at the middle of its upward com pression stroke, and piston 4is at the middle of its downward suction stroke.

The admission of'gases to and the exhaust of gases from each cylinder iscontrolled by a reciprocating valve 14, here shown of the piston type,mounted for reciprocating movement within a valve cylinder 15. Theseveral valves 14: and valve cylinders 15, as viewed from the positionof this figure, are in reality at-the rear of' the cylinders 11 andpistons 10. Hence to clearly show the valves,-onlyparts of the cylindersand piston are here shown. Between each main cylinder 11 and theassociated valve cylinder '15 is a passageway 16 which is common to bothEach valve cylso arranged with. refer ence to the valve 14: and withreference to the passageway 16, that when the valve is in its midposition,

as shown in Fig. 2, the passageway 16 is closed with reference to theinlet and exhaust ports, and when the valve is raised a suitabledistance from the position shown in Fig. 2, the inlet port is placed incommunication with the passageway 16 and with the cylinder, and when itis lowered a suitable distance from the position shown in Fig, 2, theexhaust port is placed in communication with the passageway 16 and thecylinder.

The valves are operated by m-yeimproved valve gear which may be definedas a hypocycloidal valve gear and which includes an internal gear 19,preferably normally fixed in position and a planetary pinion 20,eccentrically supported with reference to theinternal' gear 19, by amember which rotates the plan- I etary pinion about the axis oftheinternal gear 19. In this instance, the planetary pin-- ion iseccentrically mounted upon a valve crank shaft 21, which is eared to thepower "or valve operating mechanism.

shaft ormain crank shaft 13, and is preferably driven at power shaftspeed by a oneto-one gearing 22, including a gear 22 on the power shaft,a gear as the gear 22 and mounted upon the valve crank shaft 21, and anidler gear 22 suitably supported between these two gears and in meshtherewith. While it. is .desirable that the pinion be revolved about theaxis of the internal gear at power shaft speed, it is not necessary'thatit be carriedbg a separate crank shaft driven from t power shaft, butthe present arrangement is simple and satisfactory'to illustrate theprinciple of 22 of the same size my invention. This planetary pinion 20has 9 a pitch diameter which is two-thirds the pitch diameter of theinternal. gear 19.

By reference particularly to Fig. 1, it'will be seen that theplanetarypinion 20 is connected to a rather mount-ed upon and extends along theoffset portion of the valve crank shaft 21, and that mounted upon thissleeve so as to rotate therewith are four-eccentrics 24, each connectedby a valve rod 25 to one of the valves. The eccentricity of each of theeccentrics 24: with reference to the sleeve 23 less than the pitch.radius of ;the planetary pinion, and I prefer, for reasons to beexplained presently, that the difference between the eccentricity of theeccentric and the pitch radius of the planetary pinion, be approx'i- Imately one-sixth the pitch diameterof the pinion. Therefore, the axis ofthe connectic'n between each'eccentric'and the valverod 25, the saidaxisof connection being in this case the center of the eccentric, isdisplaced. with reference to and is within the pitch circle of thepinion. If-the engine were provided with but a singlenylinder, andasingle valve, the valve rod 25 night well be connected directly to thepinion 20,

long sleeve 23,which is I stated.

menace or to a crank rotating with said pinion, in which event, thepoint of connection between the valve rod andcranlt, or the axis ofconnection, would, as is the case with the eccentrio, be displaced withreference to the pitch line of the pinion, to the extent before Inasmuchas the pinion is free to rotate about its own axis it has two movements,one a revolving movement about the axis of the internal gear 19, and theother a rotation about its-own axis, and the pinion is driven at powershaft speed, and; has a pitch diameter equal to two thirds the pitchdizuneter of the interi'lel gear, during the complete cycle of engineoperation, or during; two revolutions of the powerpshatt, the pinionmakes two complete revolutions in. one direction about the axis of theinternal gear, and also makes onecoinplete rotetion about its own axisbackward or in the reverse direction. Consequently, any point on thepitch line of the planetary gear, during the two revolutions of thepower shaft, would describe three complete hypocycloidal curves, orwould describe a complete or closed triangular figure having threecurved sides composed of three complete hypocycloidal curves, withacuteengles at the apices of the unnigzle. Ut course any point on aneccentric in line with the witch line of the planetary gear would liliense describe such a figure. however, t iuoveniieu't oi the axis 0iconnection bet: 7

ly with reference to the I pinion) describes during a ctmuiilcle cycleengine operation, a closed triangular figure cmuposcd of three equalhypocycloidal c1 the spices {iii the iriangg; This figure which iscltairly illustrated in 3, may be described as three-lo vedhypocycloidul figure, and the lovoiuent which is given to the said axisoi: commotion may be termed a tlireedol al 5Fypm-ycloidal movement.

My invention in broad aspect resides in mechanism for gijcncmtin5; orimparting to said valve connection the path of movement justdescribed,'tor, lwcausc of the fact that the said valve conl'lectiouti'zv s this peculiarly shaped path during the cycle of engineoperatioi'x, the valve is caused to function in a desirable and veryeconomical and etlicicnt manner.

Reference now had to Fig. 3, wherein l lurve shown the two cooperatingof the hypocycloidal valve operating lllet ftnisin, and have illustratedthe path of move ment, designated A described by the axis of connectionbetween one of the eccentrics, and its associated valve rod. It will beseen that displaced inwar pitch line oi? the plan .the figurerepresenting this path of move l d own wnrdly u an eccentric nnrl' itsvalve rod (es: said axis oi: connection 15' are having; loops al partsare initially so adjusted that the side a of the figure is disposedsubstantially vertically, and the ends of the loops a a are in a lineapproximately parallel. to the axis of the valve. The side a? (beginningat the top of the loop a first has i decided downward trend, and then alateral trend, and

the side a (beginning with the end of loop of) hest'nstelzrteral trend,and then sweeps the end of the loop (1. Ln

consequence, the two loops .o" a g e nearly vertical in position, andthe loop a i nearly horizontal and is substantially midway be tween theends of the loops a and a", that is, it is displaced vertically one-beltthe ver-- 30 tical distance between the ends of the loops 0 and c Indescribing the valve phases-or movements in connection with this figure,let it be assumed that the valve is at itslowerg5 most position with theexhaust port full open-that is to say with the passageway 16 full opento the port 18. The said axis of connect-ion between the velve'gear andvalve rod is now'at the bottom of loop go 0/. llhe valve connection nowtraverses upwardly from its lowermost position to its uppermost positiondescribing that pert ot the figure represented by the hypocycloidelcurve (6 and giving the valve u rapid full upward stroke from itslowermost position to its uppermost position,

or from a position. with the exhaust port full open to a position withthe intake port full open.

W hen'the connection reaches approximately we the position indicated bythe letter a", the exhaust port closes, and when it reaches the positionmarked a, the inlet port be ins to open, or stated otherwise, the valvebegins to open the passageway 16 and to place'the some in communicationwith the inlet port 17, the positions of the piston, valve and the valvegear. when the valveconnection reaches the point a, being shown. in Whenthe connection reaches the end of the loop a, the inlet port is tallopen, or the passageway l6 completely uncovereithe parts then being inthe positions shown in Fig. 5. ll hile the connection is traversing 7along the curved line or side a. oi the figure, and the valve is givenits rapid full stroke upwardly from its lowermost position to its;uppermost position, the piston is traversing tlirouggh the hitter partof the exhaust stroke and through the first part of the suction 12o mentof the valve connection imparts-to the valve a quick half strokedownward to substantally its mid-position, causing the closure of theinlet port when the connection reaches substantially the positionmarkedah' The positionsof the parts when the connection reaches thispoint are shown in Fig. 6. The movement of the connection along thelatter partof this curved line or during its stroke.

laterally -in\vard,; this-taking the major. and llnphlilllfi very littlemovement to the i the positi ns shown in Fig. 7.

nection reaches 'very rapid substantial horizontal movement imparts verylittle or practically no movement to the valve, this being during thecompression stroke. When the valve connection reaches once the lateralmovement valve, and t gradually merges into a decided-downward movementinto the loop a. Then the consubstantially the position a, the valvebegins to, uncover the passageway 16, and exhaust begins to take place,the piston, valve and valve gear being then'in From this point, theconnection swings downward rapidly to the end of loop (0* and imparts afurther half stroke downward to the valve, causing the full opening ofthe "passageway or port lfi to the exhaust of gases, the positions ofthe parts when the exhaust port is full open being shown in Fig. 8.

The connection has now passed through its complete path of movement,which has taken place during one complete cycle of ,given a quick upwardappreciable period engine operation. As the connection'rounds. the endof loop a, the exhaust- 'ort remains full open for an appreciableperiod, as was the case with the inlet port when the connectionroundedthe loop a, and thence the- -connection again sweeps upwardlyalong the li-ne a, as previously described, As the connection reachesthe point a, the passagewav 16 is again shut otl' -from the exhaustport. 18, the parts then occupying the positions shown'in Fig. 1). Itwill beseen therefOIE-ihittus the connection sweeps upwardlyalongftheside a of the figure, the valve is stroke from its lowermostposition to its uppermost position; thence theinlet port remains fullopen forv thence the port is quickly closed by causing the valve to tionof the working'stroke, thezvalve is sub the power shaft all lying inire-m that shown in Fig. 3.

gear and the valve;

downward, or substantial mid-position; thence be given a mhalf stroke toits during the -major portion ofthe com pression' stroke, and during themajor porstantially stationary; and thence is again given a rapid halfstroke dovmwardto its lowermost position, causin the quick open-.-, ingof the exhaust port. fter the exhaust port remains apen for anappreciable period, it is quickly; closed when the valveaga'mj starts onits upward movement; j 1 It will be noted that when the valvereaches itsmid positiomduring its upward stroke, it is moving at substantially-its;

maximum speed, whereas when it reaches its v r mid lposijtion on itsdownward stroke, it is substantially stationary, or at its mini-- .mumspeed. The hypo-cycloid'al valve gear therefore is a variable movementimparting mechanism, which gives to the valve themovements necessary toproduce high efii ciency. The advantages of the loops'- at the cornersof the figure are first large voluw metric capacity for both .the inletand ex; a haust ports, due to the time periods which elapse while theports are full open, for as the connection rounds the-loops, the? valveis substantially stationary, and in fact during the periodwhich elapsesfrom the time' that the valve. starts to open 'a port until it againcloses the port, the port s full open approximately half the period; andsecond, rapid opening and closing of the ports, the opening and closingtaking. place while the crank shaft is swinging through a smaller arcthan is the case with any other valve operating mechanisms of which Iam'aware.

I have described the path ofmovement of the axis of the valve connectionbetween one of the eccentrics and one or the valve rods and havedescribed in detail the movements which are imparted 'to the associatedvalve It will be understood, however, that the movements of the axis ofthe valve connection between all the-eccentrics and the valve rodsconnected to them are similar to. that above described. \Viththe cranksof the sameplane, but part displaced 180 degrees from the others, thepaths described by two of the valve connections'will be exactly as shownin .Fig. 3, and the paths described bythe i OthQEliWdWlll be simplyturned 180 degrees I prefer that the eccentricity of the eccentrics beless than the pitch radius ofthe planetary pinion, and that thedisianceof I the axis of the connection between the valve be displaced from thepitch line of the pinion an amountapproxh matjely equal to one-sixth thepitch diameter of the pinion, for the reason that with the axis oftheconnection so located with refercues to the pitch line of the pinion,the loops 139 osaaaa rotated at power shat'tspeed the planetary pinionwould not make complete rotation on its own axis during the cycle ofengine operation and the axis of valve connection would not describe aclosed figure during the cycle, it any other ratio of pitch diam-.QtQITS'VVQI'G employed.

A very important advantage of the con struction, aside from those aboveenumeu ated, lies in the fact that by adjusting the position of theinternal gear the entire series of valve functions can be advanced. orre tarded. The gear can be adjusted in either direction, while theengine is in operation, thus enabling the determination of the correctposition of said gear, or the positioi which resultsin highestetticiency.

This application is a continuation of my prior application for valveoperating mechanism, filed July 11th, 1910. Serial X0. aria-Z2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with the crank shatt and cylinder of an internalcombustion engine, a valve adapted to control both the in let to andexhaust of gases from the cylinder, a valve rod connected to the valve,and a valve gear comprising a member which has a connection with thevalve rod, and means for operating said member so as to impart to theaxis of saidv connection a hypocycloidal path of movement.

. 2. In combination with the crank shaft and cylinder of an internalcombustion engine, a valve adapted to control respectively the admissiontoand exhaust of g: from the cylinder, a valve geari-coi'nprising amember which is connected tot-he valve, and means for operating saidmember so as to impart to the axis of said connection a three-lobedliypocycloidal path of move ment.

In combination with the crank shaft and cylinder of an internalcombustion engine, a valve adapted to control both the admission to andexhaust of gases from the cylinder, a valve rod suitably connected tothe valve, and a valve gear comprising a member which has a connectionwith the valve rod, and means for rotating said member about its ownaxis and revolving said member about another axis so as to impart.mission toand exhaust oil gases to the axis of said connection, duringa complete cycle of engine operation, a closed substantially triangularpath of movement?" 4:. In combination with the crank shaft and cylinderof an internal combustion en 7Q adapted to control both the adtropi thecylinder, a valve rod connected to the valve,

gine, a valve and a valve gear comprising a ,anember which has aconnection with the valve rod, and means tor operating said member sothat the axis of said connection describes during a complete cycle ctengine operation a closed substantially triangular figure with loops atthe apices of the triangle.

5. In combination with an internal combust-ion. engine, a cylinder, avalve adapted to control both the admission ot gases toand the exhaustof gases from the cylinder, a valve operating mechanism comprising aninternal gear, pinion in mesh with the gear and operativcly connectedwith the valve, and means for revolving the pinion about the axis of thegear.

6. In combination in an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a valveadapted to control both the admission of gases to and the exhaust or"gases from the cylinder, and a valve gear having a connection with thevalve and adapted to impart to said connection a path of movement coiniirising a series of hyptxzycloidal curves, said valve gear comprisingan internal gear, a pinion" in mesh therewith, and driving meanseccentrically supporting said pinion, so as to revolve the same aboutthe axis of said. gear.

7. In an internal ctunbustion engine, a cylinder, a valve forcontrolling the adn'iission and exhaust of gases, and a valve op eratihgmeans comprising an internal gear, a pinion in mesh therewith, a crankhaving its axis at the axis ot said gear, the pinion supported by saidcrank so as to be revolved. about the axis oi the gear and to rotate onits own axis, said pinion. having a connection with the valve and im'iarting to said connection the resultant obi its two movements.

8.111 combination with a cylinder and "valve o't an internal combustionengine, a valve operating mechanism comprising hypocycloidal gearingincluding an internal. gear, and a pinion. adapted to be rotated aboutthe axis of said gear in mesh with the latter, said pinion having aconnection with the valve, the axis of which connection is dis-placedwith reference to the pitch line of the pinion. i

9. In combination with the cylinder valve of an internal combustionenginc,ig valve operating means comprising an inter nal gear, a pinionin mesh with the gear, and means for revolving "said pinion about theaxis of the gear, said pinion having any operative connection with thevalve and and ' from the cylin'cier,

and adapted to be revolved about the axis thereof in mesh with saidgear, said pinion having an operative connection With the valve andhaving a pitch diameter substan- 1E tiaily two-thirds that of theinternal gear.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

DANIEL APPEL having a pitch diameter two thirds that of the internalear. t 4 r 10. In com inationwith'the crank shaft and cylinder of aninternal combustion fengine, a valve adapted to eontrol both the.inimission of gases toand the exhaust of gases a valve operating meansoperated at crank shaft speed, a stationer internal gear arranged.concentricailyw'ith respect to the axis of said crank, a pinionsupported. by sairi crank comprising a crank Witnesses:

A. F. Kwis, A. J. HUDSON.

